During World War II, Ford and Willys produced nearly 648,000 Jeeps as light utility vehicles. The bulk of these, some 361,339 units, were Willys MB models, like the 1944 Willys MB Jeep set to cross the block at the upcoming Bonhams Greenwich sale. Constructed in February of 1944, chassis number 280026 may have been crated for shipment to Europe or the Pacific theater, but the claim that it was found in a crate some 30 years ago is bound to spur discussion among collectors.

In the lexicon of American pop culture, the “Jeep in a crate” claim is the stuff of legend, and as late as the 1970s, magazines with “Popular” in the title would run classified ads for “Cheap Army Surplus” crated Jeeps. The Jeeps themselves weren’t being offered in the classified ad, but instead shoppers could pay to get information on buying such intriguing military surplus (which rarely, if ever, included surplus Jeeps).

“Jeeps in crates” were reportedly used in scams run by grifters in the 1950s, though few modern consumers would pay cash to unknown sellers for the contents of a crate that couldn’t be opened on premises due to “union rules.” How frequently this scam was perpetuated is the subject of some debate, but it certainly does enrich the Jeep-in-a-crate myth.

While the bulk of Jeeps built were shipped uncrated, it’s well documented that Jeeps were occasionally crated in Single Unit Packs (SUPs) or Twin Unit Packs (TUPs) for shipment overseas. Such packaging allowed multiple Jeeps to be stacked atop one another while protecting the vehicles from weather and salt water spray. By the 1980s, however, encountering an authentic, crated Jeep would have been a rare occurrence indeed.

Bonhams describes the 1944 Willys MB Jeep to be sold as “discovered in its original crate about 30 years ago,” and if documentation of the find is included (Bonhams representatives did not respond with further information about the Jeep’s discovery), that could certainly add to the value of chassis number 280026. Though the Jeep is unrestored, it was reportedly painted shortly after its discovery and is in a condition that corresponds to its long-stored description, according to a Bonhams’ representative. The pre-auction estimate places the selling price between $20,000 and $30,000.

1945 Ford GPW Jeep.

At the same auction, Bonhams will also offer the Willys’s wartime counterpart, a 1945 Ford GPW Jeep. Reportedly the subject of a frame-off restoration by a noted Jeep restorer, chassis GPW247613 is one of just 277,896 Jeeps produced by Ford for the war effort. Perhaps the lower production volume adds to the Ford GPW Jeep’s value, as Bonhams anticipates a selling price between $35,000 and $45,000 for this example.

The Bonhams Greenwich sale is scheduled for Sunday, June 2. For more information, visit Bonhams.com.

Back in the mid 70′s my grandfather somehow came across a Jeep still crated from WW2, it was in France. He bought it and had it shipped to Arizona. I was about 10 years old at the time. I remember when the semi-truck showed up to deliver it at my grandfather’s business. My dad got on the forklift and set it inside the quonset hut (yes really and how proper is that!?)…..well, us three spent the weekend putting it together. Since I was so young, it was my job to get off as much of the casmoline off the various parts. This story is the honest truth….my grandfather had it for the next 5-6 years until he sold it, I begged and pleaded with him not to sell it….a zero mileage 1944 Willy’s….never will see one again…I do have pictures as proof…